Grain cleaning machine



Feb. 28, 1933.- v M PET|T 1,899,209

GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l II H w' M BY ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1933. v. M. PETlT GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1930 6% III INVENTOR. Mi ky-WM ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES vrc'roammmn PETI'I', OF BOJ'AS, ARGENTINA GRAIN CLEANING Application filed July 86, 1930. Serial No. 470,909.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a grain cleaning and grading machine.-

The invention has for an object the provision of a device of the class mentioned which is of simple durable construction, dependable in use and eflicient in action, and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

The invention proposes a' frame, grading boxes movably supported on said frame and provided with screening elements, means for reciprocating the grading boxes, means for supplying material to the grading boxes, means for directing the circulation of material thru the boxes, means for blowing air thru the boxes, and means for changing the inclination of the screening elements.

For further comprehension. of the inven- 2 tion, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention Y Z are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a deviceconstructed according to modified form. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view takenon the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view vtaken on the line 77 of Fig.4. Figure 8 is a side view of the rack. The grain cleaning and grading machine consists of a frame 10, grading boxes11 and 12 movably supported on said frame and provided with screening elements 13, means for reciprocating the grading boxes, means for supplying material to the grading boxes, means for directing the circulation of ma- 5 terial thru the boxes, means for blowing air thru the boxes, and means for changing the inclination of the screening elements.

The said frame 10 consists of vertical legs 14 arranged to support a top horizontal frame portion 15, a horizontal central frame portion 16 and a horizontal bottom frame portion 17 Braces 18 are arranged between the legs and the bottom horizontal frame portion. 1 1 The said grading boxes before referred to constitute an upper box 11 and a lower one 12. Each of the boxes consists of side-forming members 19, a rear-forming member 20, and a pair of substantially horizontal screen- 6| ing elements 13. The screening elements are hingedly connected at their rear ends 21 to the rear-forming members 20. The front ends are adjustably -supported by the means before referred to and hereinafter described in 7. detail. Vertical leaf springs 22 depend from the top frame portion 15 and have their lower ends attached to the said top grading box 11 so as to suspend the grading box for forward and rearward reciprocation. Other vertical 7 springs 23 project upwards from the centralhorizontal frame portion 16 and the upper ends are attached upon the sides of the lower grading box for movably supporting this box for horizontal reciprocation.

The said means for reciprocating the grading boxes consists of a transverse shaft 24 mounted upon the vertical legs 14 on the left hand side of Fig. 1 and carrying eccentrics 25. Flexible connecting rods 26 connect with the upper grading box and other flexible connecting rods 27 connect with the lower grad ing box and with other eccentrics 28 also fixed upon the shaft 24. A drive is provided for the shaft 24 which includes sprocket chain 29 and a belt connection to a transverse shaft 31 attached upon the central frame portion 16. 'A pulley 32 is shown attached upon the shaft 31 for receiving power from some external source. A crank33 is also shown attached upon the transverse shaft 31 for its manual rotation.

The said means for supplying material to the grading boxes consists of a hopper 34 supported upon the top horizontal frame portion 15 and provided with a discharge intothe top grading box 11 as shown in Fig. 3. A control slide 35 is arranged upon the hopper and is connected with a handle 36 so that the supply passing thru the hopper may be controlled. The means for directing the circulation of material thru the boxes consists of bafile plates and chutes, viz, baflie plate 37 slightly spaced from the front end of the lower screening element 13 in the upper grading box 11,

container 38 attached upon the frame beneath the opening between the baffle plate 37 and the screening element 13. Another bafile plate 39 arranged at an inclination is positioned beneath the top screening element of the lower grading box 12. A chute 40is attached upon the bottom of the lower grading box 12 and discharges into a container 41 attached upon the central horizontal frame portion 16.

The said means for directing the circulation .also. includes a chute 42 supported upon the front end of the lower grading box 12 and discharging into a container 43 attached on the central horizontal frame 16. A pair of doors 44 connect with a bar 45 pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends upon the container 43 and arranged so that when one of the doors is open the other is closed.

The means for blowing air thru the boxes consists of a blower 46 supported on the frame 10 and having its rotor shaft common with the shaft 24. This blower has a discharge outlet 47 directed into the grading box 12 and a branch discharge 48 directed into the upper gravity box 11. An air directing vane 49 is adjustably arranged between the dis charge 47 and the branch 48 for dividing air thru these outlets. The adjustment of the vane is accomplished by a set screw 50 mounted upon the vane and projecting thru a slot 51 in the side of the discharge 47.

e means for changing the inclination of the screening elements consists of a vertical screw 52 rotatively mounted upon each of the screening boxes and supporting followers 53 which are threa-dedly engaged thereon. These followers are attached upon the rear ends of the screening elements 13. A worm wheel 54 is mounted upon the screw 52 and meshes with a worm pinion 55 fixed upon a shaft 56 and connected with a system of gears terminatingin a vertical shaft 57. A pair of gears 58, 59 are freely mounted upon the shaft 57 and are connected with ratchet wheels and pawls -carried on the shaft and arranged so that the gear 58 idles in one direction and the gear 59 idles in the other direction.

Adjustment of the screening elements 13 is accomplished by manually holding a rack 58a stationarily against one or the other of the said gears 58, 59. When the rack is held against one gear, for example gear 58 and the grading boxes are performing their reciproeating motion, rotation will be transmitted to the screw 52 and cause the followers 53 to move and thus adjust the inclination of the screening elements. If the rack is held against the other of the gears, the screw 52 will rotate in the opposite direction and the followers 53 will move oppositely to the d1- rection they just moved adjusting the screen in the opposite direction.

In operation of the device, grain or similar cereals are emptied into the hopper 34 for discharging upon the top screening element 13. Shaft 31 is caused to rotate either manually or with the aid of power and this rotation is transmitted to the blower 46 and to the eccentrics 25, 28. The eccentrics cause the flexible connecting rods 26 and 27'to reciprocate and swing the grading boxes 11 and 12 as permit ted by the vertical springs 22 and 23. Very coarse grains remain on the upper screen of the top box 11 and must be periodically aremoved. Less coarse grains fall through this screen and remain upon the lower screen of the upper box. The fine grains fall through this lower screen into the upper screen of the lower box 12. The exceptionally fine grains fall through this upper screen and fall upon the lower screen of I the lower box, then through that screen and then discharge into the container 41.

Coarse grain material on the lower screen of the upper box will be caused to move along the screen and finally fall off the'front end and fall directly downwards into the contain- Br 38. The draft from the blower will blow all chaff and waste out of the rear endof the grating box. The grains on: the upper screen of the lower box will be caused to move along and finally fall off and'engage against the bafile plate 39 and be directed upon the lowermost of the screens and gradually work to the front and discharge into the container 43. During the operation of the machine, a rack may be placed 'against'the gears 58, 59 for changing the inclination of the screening elev ment so thatiproper grading is accomplished. 4

In 5, a modified form of the device has been shown in which an electric motor 62 is arranged for driving the shaft 31. In addition, the frame 10 is shown mounted upon wheels 63 so that the device may be easilv moved. In other respects it is identical with the one just described. a

While I have shown and described the preferred embodimentof my invention, it is to be understood that 1 do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1. A grain cleaning and grading machine, comprising a frame, grading boxes movably supported on said frame and provided with screening elements, means for reciprocating the grading boxes, means for supplying material to the grading boxes, means for directing the circulation of material thru the boxes, means for blowing air thru the boxes, and means for changing the inclination of the screening elements, comprising a vertical screw rotatively mounted on each of the grading boxes, followers threadedly engaged on the screw and connected with the screening elements, a worm wheel attached on the screw, a worm pinion meshing with the worm wheel and connected with a system of gears terminating in a vertical shaft, a pair .of gears'loosely engaged on said shaft, and a ratchet and pawl for each of the loose gears for connecting them with the shaft in such way that one may idle in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

.2. A grain cleaning and grading machine, comprising a frame, grading boxes movably supported on said frame and provided with screening elements, means for reciprocating the grading boxes, means for supplying material to the grading boxes, means for directing the circulation of material thru the boxes, means for blowing air thru the boxes, and means for changing the inclination of the screening elements, comprising a vertical screw rotatively mounted on each of the grading boxes, followers threadedly engaged on the screw and connected with one end of the screening elements, a worm wheel attached and the other in the opposite direction, said screening elements being hingedly mounted attheir other ends and free along their sides.

3. In a grain cleaning and grading machine having grading boxes arranged for oscillating during operation, screening elements mounted within said grading boxes and hingedly fastened atone of their ends to the said boxes, and means for changing the inclination of the screening elements, said means consisting of a vertical screw rotatively mounted on each of the grading boxes, followers threadedly engaged on the screw and connected with the screening elements, a

opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

VICTOR MANUEL PETIT. 

